Solons question changes in route of P350-B Metro Manila subway project

Lawmakers have questioned the changes in the route of the P350-billion Metro Manila subway project, which first phase of construction is set to begin this December.

At a hearing of the House of Representatives’ Metro Manila Development Committee on Wednesday, Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said the original alignment of the country’s first subway would be from Mindanao Avenue, going to North Avenue and traversing Edsa all the way to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

But he also said the interagency handling the project changed a segment of the route after conducting a feasibility study in August 2017.

Originally, a segment of the subway route would go from North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, to Ortigas, just like the route of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3).

The new segment however would now be from North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, going to East Avenue, Anonas, and Katipunan, before going to Ortigas.

Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice and Quezon City 1st District Rep. Vincent Crisologo raised questions on the modified alignment.

“Ang unang-unang dapat lagyan ng subway ay Edsa at ‘yan ay nasa plano, nag-iba,” Erice noted.

“Hindi ‘yan ‘yung daanan ng mga commuters, ng mga ordinaryong mamayan. Parang puro commercial developments ‘yung dinadaanan ng subway baka mas makinabang dito ‘yung mga commercial developer imbes na mamamayan,” he added.

Crisologo, for his part, asked Batan to justify the changes and requested a copy of the minutes of the interagency meeting where the changes were made.

The interagency panel is composed of the Department of Transportation, Department of Public Works and Highways, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Finance, and Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

Justification

Batan said the alteration was done since they considered the capacity rehabilitation of the MRT-3.

“Instead of concentrating two mass transport line under and above Edsa, ‘yung segment po na ‘yun was diverted to the East in order to spread capacity,” he explained during the hearing.

With the capacity expansion of 900,000 to 1 million planned for MRT-3, Batan said this would be enough to service commuters along Edsa.

“Gusto natin ma-avoid na ma-oversupply ang Edsa na kung saan paano naman ‘yung ibang mga corridors natin na meron namang mananakay,” he added in a separate interview.

“Number one consideration hindi lang ng gobyerno pati ng lenders natin, ng Jica, is ‘yung transport demand, hindi tayo maglalatag ng riles ng walang transport demand,” Batan also said.

According to Batan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) would shoulder up to P280 billion of the total P350 billion cost of the subway project.  /kga

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1031169/solons-question-changes-in-route-of-p350-b-metro-manila-subway-project

Dalian trains to undergo nighttime simulation tests

But DOTr remains noncommittal on when these will be added to main MRT 3 system

Within the month, at least two of the brand new Dalian trains are expected to undergo nighttime “simulation tests” before being provisionally deployed on the main line of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 for 150 hours.

But even if the provisional deployment would be pulled off without a hitch, Transportation Undersecretary for Rails TJ Batan was noncommittal when asked whether the new trains would go on to make regular runs.

Return to maker

Should technical problems crop up, the trains would be sent back to the Chinese manufacturer for rehabilitation, he told senators during Tuesday’s hearing on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) budget for 2019.

According to Batan, the nighttime tests would be done in coordination with Toshiba and the Philippine National Railways as part of the government’s efforts to verify the findings made by CRRC Dalian Co. Ltd. and international audit firm TUV Rheinland.

During the hearing, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade told senators that the China-made trains “[could] apparently be used” provisionally to help improve the operations of the aging and breakdown-prone MRT 3.

He was supported by Batan who said that while there were issues that needed to be addressed, an audit of the Dalian trains showed that these could indeed be used by the public.

One issue was adjusting the compatibility of the MRT 3 maintenance equipment since these were designed for the first-generation Czech-made MRT 3 trains, he said.

Asked by Sen. Nancy Binay if there were problems about the trains’ weight, Batan replied: “There’s an issue but it does not affect the safety and compatibility of the Dalian trains.”

He said that based on the audit conducted by the TUV, the China-made trains, when packed with 1,800 passengers, were within the prescribed fully loaded weight.

While all of the 48 trains purchased by the Aquino administration from Dalian were delivered in January 2017, these were left to gather dust at the MRT 3 depot as the DOTr cited safety and compatibility issues for their nondeployment.

Rail officials had pointed out that the P3.8-billion trains were overweight by at least three tons. Based on Dalian’s contract with the government, the trains should weigh 46.3 tons each but the delivered units weighed 49.7 tons.

Still within limits

Experts stressed, however, that the trains were still within the allowable limit.

Since the start of the year, the MRT 3 has recorded 65 unloading incidents. The latest was yesterday when a southbound train unloaded 700 passengers at Magallanes station after the motor developed electrical problems.

The expected deployment of the Dalian trains comes ahead of the planned general overhaul of the old MRT 3 trains starting next year. Batan said that their contract with the Japan International Cooperation Agency covering 72 MRT 3 coaches would last for 45 months.

During the rehabilitation period, the number of operational trains would go down from 15 to just 10, according to Tugade.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1031033/dalian-trains-to-undergo-nighttime-simulation-tests